The National

[NorthernSoul52]

I'm still chasing Carin at the Liquor Store. What a tune that is.

[charlierc]

1 hour ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

I'm still chasing Carin at the Liquor Store. What a tune that is.

Played it when I saw them in Milan in 2018. Was quite a lovely and sparse moment.

[NorthernSoul52]

50 minutes ago, charlierc said:

Played it when I saw them in Milan in 2018. Was quite a lovely and sparse moment.

Lucky one!

[Little Andy]

As someone just getting in to The National (I love Boxer now, and am just moving into High Violet), I think the drummer really helps elevate these songs up a level. Dunno if thats common opinion.

Edited March 5 by Little Andy

[1986]

On 3/3/2024 at 12:03 PM, NorthernSoul52 said:

I'm still chasing Carin at the Liquor Store. What a tune that is.

Lemonworld for me. Might even do the sad thing of messaging them on IG to request it when they get announced, how desperate it is 😄 

11 minutes ago, Little Andy said:

As someone just getting in to The National (I love Boxer now, and am just moving into High Violet), I think the drummer really helps elevate these songs up a level. Dunno if thats common opinion.

Under rated by most I think but the fans get it.

[JonnyG]

35 minutes ago, Little Andy said:

As someone just getting in to The National (I love Boxer now, and am just moving into High Violet), I think the drummer really helps elevate these songs up a level. Dunno if thats common opinion.

To my mind, the best rock drummer around, and so distinctive.

[Chip Batch]

If they play then hopefully they still do plenty of 'older' stuff. I saw them at Glastonbury last time and the High Violet tour but not since. Trouble Will Find Me was great but I lost interest in them with nearly all that's followed.

I love 'Not in Kansas' but I can't imagine that gets played live much.

[Superscally]

1 hour ago, Little Andy said:

As someone just getting in to The National (I love Boxer now, and am just moving into High Violet), I think the drummer really helps elevate these songs up a level. Dunno if thats common opinion.

Yep. Best in the game. Like when Matt Tong was on fire for Bloc Party. Also... High Violet 😍

[Robofish]

2 hours ago, Little Andy said:

As someone just getting in to The National (I love Boxer now, and am just moving into High Violet), I think the drummer really helps elevate these songs up a level. Dunno if thats common opinion.

It was the drumming on Alligator (another classic, the one before Boxer) that initially drew me into The National. 

[NorthernSoul52]

17 hours ago, Robofish said:

It was the drumming on Alligator (another classic, the one before Boxer) that initially drew me into The National. 

There's some wonderful patterns and weights in there.

[fightoffyour]

Do you like Matt Berninger? I've been a big The National fan ever since the release of their 2005 album, Alligator. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Alligator where Matt Berninger’s presence became more apparent. I think Boxer was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of the Dessners, Berninger and the Devendorfs. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Take the lyrics to Fake Empire. In this song, Matt Berninger addresses the problems of abusive political authority. Slow Show is the most moving pop song of the 2000s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Matt Berninger’s solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like Loved So Little and Oh Drearie. But I also think Matt Berninger works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Return To The Moon, a great, great song, a personal favorite.

[foolsgold1981]

20 hours ago, Chip Batch said:

If they play then hopefully they still do plenty of 'older' stuff. I saw them at Glastonbury last time and the High Violet tour but not since. Trouble Will Find Me was great but I lost interest in them with nearly all that's followed.

I love 'Not in Kansas' but I can't imagine that gets played live much.

Yeah, I'm similar. For me, it's been diminishing returns since High Violet, even though I do think Trouble Will Find Me has some astonishing songs on it and I do listen to it frequently. But with the new ones hitting (and the entirely understandable fact that they take up a big portion of their current setlist) I just can't find the time or money to be interested in seeing them on their recent tours. And given that I was so obsessed with them between 2005-2013 that does make me a little sad 😥

Edited March 6 by foolsgold1981

[NorthernSoul52]

My real introduction to The National was, bizarrely, their hour beneath Foo Fighters in 2017. I know a lot of people walked away disgruntled from that, but for me, it was a terrific gateway. Felt there was barely a dud among them.

When I Need My Girl rose up, it was goosebumps. Just magical.

[mouserat]

1 hour ago, fightoffyour said:

Do you like Matt Berninger? I've been a big The National fan ever since the release of their 2005 album, Alligator. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Alligator where Matt Berninger’s presence became more apparent. I think Boxer was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of the Dessners, Berninger and the Devendorfs. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Take the lyrics to Fake Empire. In this song, Matt Berninger addresses the problems of abusive political authority. Slow Show is the most moving pop song of the 2000s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Matt Berninger’s solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like Loved So Little and Oh Drearie. But I also think Matt Berninger works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Return To The Moon, a great, great song, a personal favorite.

I have to return some video tapes.

[Robofish]

3 hours ago, foolsgold1981 said:

Yeah, I'm similar. For me, it's been diminishing returns since High Violet, even though I do think Trouble Will Find Me has some astonishing songs on it and I do listen to it frequently. But with the new ones hitting (and the entirely understandable fact that they take up a big portion of their current setlist) I just can't find the time or money to be interested in seeing them on their recent tours. And given that I was so obsessed with them between 2005-2013 that does make me a little sad 😥

TWFM is 100% gold. And while Sleep Well Beast & Easy to Find were harder to love I’ve totally embraced Frankenstein and Laugh Track. And, crucially, everything works out brilliantly live. 

[fullfathom5]

2 hours ago, NorthernSoul52 said:

My real introduction to The National was, bizarrely, their hour beneath Foo Fighters in 2017. I know a lot of people walked away disgruntled from that, but for me, it was a terrific gateway. Felt there was barely a dud among them.

When I Need My Girl rose up, it was goosebumps. Just magical.

That's a stunning song, love it.

[NorthernSoul52]

21 minutes ago, fullfathom5 said:

That's a stunning song, love it.

Absolutely gorgeous tune.

[MEGABOWL]

On 3/3/2024 at 12:03 PM, NorthernSoul52 said:

I'm still chasing Carin at the Liquor Store. What a tune that is.

I got lucky with that one in Glasgow in 2019. My reward for going to both nights at the Kelvingrove Bandstand, the first in biblical rain. The other rewards were the band absolutely rising to the weather and playing a phenomenal gig, and helping Matt get over the barrier when he went out in the crowd, then back the other way.

[NorthernSoul52]

Few bands quite capture the bond between performer and artist like The National seem to do. The one thing I'll say is that I'm not sure - having caught them three times - that I've seen them at their best, yet. I really need to see if I can get up close for one of those shows where it all comes together under heaven and earth, so to speak.

[charlierc]

7 hours ago, fightoffyour said:

Do you like Matt Berninger? I've been a big The National fan ever since the release of their 2005 album, Alligator. Before that, I really didn't understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Alligator where Matt Berninger’s presence became more apparent. I think Boxer was the group's undisputed masterpiece. It's an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of the Dessners, Berninger and the Devendorfs. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Take the lyrics to Fake Empire. In this song, Matt Berninger addresses the problems of abusive political authority. Slow Show is the most moving pop song of the 2000s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. Their lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I've heard in rock. Matt Berninger’s solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like Loved So Little and Oh Drearie. But I also think Matt Berninger works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Return To The Moon, a great, great song, a personal favorite.

 

6 hours ago, mouserat said:

I have to return some video tapes.

What time's your reservation at the Dorsia? 

[fraybentos1]

2 hours ago, MEGABOWL said:

I got lucky with that one in Glasgow in 2019. My reward for going to both nights at the Kelvingrove Bandstand, the first in biblical rain. The other rewards were the band absolutely rising to the weather and playing a phenomenal gig, and helping Matt get over the barrier when he went out in the crowd, then back the other way.

I regret going to that so much. I only got into them in the last couple years. Still can't believe they played that venue. You used to be able to hear it from my old flat. None of the artists they have booked since then are anywhere near as big.

[kingcrawler]

2 hours ago, MEGABOWL said:

I got lucky with that one in Glasgow in 2019. My reward for going to both nights at the Kelvingrove Bandstand, the first in biblical rain. The other rewards were the band absolutely rising to the weather and playing a phenomenal gig, and helping Matt get over the barrier when he went out in the crowd, then back the other way.

I went both nights too, two fantastic gigs. I was quite glad about the rain on the first night as it masked my tears when they did the Frightened Rabbit cover. Managed to hear a few songs I’d always wanted to hear them play over the two nights like Brainy, All the Wine and Green Gloves too.

Edited March 6 by kingcrawler

[dougal1]

The past two nights of shows in Melbourne have been incredible. I've seen them many times over the years and would say they're at their absolute best right now performance wise. The only song I was chasing that they didn't play was Secret Meeting. New track Bat Child sounds great, quite heavy.

Super excited that next time seeing them will be worthy farm! Do we have any rumours/ideas on slot yet, other stage headliner? 

[NorthernSoul52]

Just seen night two in Melbourne. How I wish I was back down under.

Curse you, Victorians!

[Little Andy]

On 3/6/2024 at 8:19 PM, kingcrawler said:

I went both nights too, two fantastic gigs. I was quite glad about the rain on the first night as it masked my tears when they did the Frightened Rabbit cover. Managed to hear a few songs I’d always wanted to hear them play over the two nights like Brainy, All the Wine and Green Gloves too.

Which Frightened Rabbit song did they play?